Transabdominal ultrasonographic appearance of the gastrointestinal viscera of healthy llamas and alpacas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the gastrointestinal viscera of healthy llamas and alpacas. Six adult llamas, five juvenile llamas, and five adult alpacas were scanned with a 5 MHz linear transducer. The first and third gastric compartments occupied most of the left and right ventral abdomen, respectively. The saccules of the first compartment gave its wall a unique, hyperechoic appearance; whereas, all other viscera appeared as tubular structures. Except for the third gastric compartment, motility was visible in all structures by movement of fluid segments or contraction of the wall. Where it could be measured, wall thickness was between 2 and 4 mm, except that the caudal portion of the third compartment occasionally had a thicker wall. Fluid segments in the intestines were generally short and short lived. This description of normal camelids should aid in the ultrasonographic assessment of camelids suspected to have a gastrointestinal disorder.